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“You sounded more authentic when you said that at the gym, and I was all sweaty,” she teased.
“I was referring to Friday when I asked if you were okay. You missed our magazine meeting.”
“Oh, that. Sorry. I had a headache.” A small fib. She still hadn’t recovered from his disappearing act so soon after they’d had sex in the yoga studio and hadn’t been ready to see him yet. It wasn’t like her to blow off a meeting, but she hadn’t had her shields in place. That old fear of being left behind had come raging back, and it had taken her until today to sort herself out. “We can reschedule whenever you would like.” She knew he’d fit her in. Besides, he was the one who’d totally thrown her off-balance by showing up unannounced after her class.
She wasn’t the only one thrown off, she could tell. The darkness didn’t allow her to see his face, but she could tell he was stressed. He sat ramrod straight beside her and he gripped the steering wheel in a tight hold.
If that wasn’t enough, she could just make out the dark scruff along his jaw. Cory only neglected to shave when he was worn out. Lately that was happening more and more often.
“I hope you’re feeling better now.”
A sly smile crossed her face. Eureka. Maybe she could sex him into forgetting about her missing the meeting and his overloaded plate of work.
And that they were about to pretend to be in love, which was ludicrous.
She leaned up to suck on his earlobe. His audible grunt made her grin. “I’m hoping you’ll make me sweaty again soon,” she purred.
“About that.” He eased away and gave her an almost accusing glance. Funny how she had no trouble seeing that in the dark. “Though I don’t regret that it happened, I think we can both agree once was adequate. I’m hoping we can move on.”
Adequate? She’d come so hard she’d worried her eyes would stay permanently crossed, and that’s what he had to say for himself?
After many years of experiencing irritation at what left Cory’s mouth, the hot spurt of aggravation was far from surprising. What did surprise her, however, was how quickly it passed.
“I’m sorry to disagree,” she said pleasantly. “Once was not adequate for me, and I think the chances of moving on while I’m pretending to be your girlfriend are slim to none.”
“If you’re not comfortable in that role—”
“No, you’re the one not comfortable.” She reached down to cup his cock through his trousers and delighted in his frustrated growl. “Let me know if I can be of some assistance with that,” she added, pulling away when he scowled.
Her mask of confidence slipped as he reversed, wordlessly heading to his family’s farm outside of town. What if Tuesday had been the biggest mistake she’d ever made?
“Put your belt on.”
She sighed and did as he’d asked. “Yes, Grandpa.”
He grunted and lapsed into silence.
Fabu. Traveling to his parents’ place outside Haven took half an hour under the best of circumstances. With the thin, wispy fog now obliterating the road ahead of the headlights, it would add on another ten minutes at least to traverse the hilly country roads. And the fall air inside the car was even chillier than it was outside.
Not that she was one to give up easily.
“So…how has your weekend been?”
He arched a brow. “Fine. Busy.”
“I imagine it usually is for you. Isn’t that why you’re an insomniac? Never have much time to sleep, so your body doesn’t know what to make of it when you do make time.”
“Who said I was an insomniac?”
“You,” she said simply, fluffing her hair to avoid staring too hard at his sulky face. Though she knew he’d balk at that description, in this case it would be true. His concentration level for driving in the fog had added that little forehead wrinkle she could just barely see in the light from passing cars. “So what do you do when you’re up all night? You can’t work constantly.”
“No,” he admitted finally. “Sometimes I make lists.”
“Like of stuff you need at the store?”
“Hardly.” She didn’t need to look at him to hear the quirk of his lips in his voice. “It’s a simplified explanation, but for you, I’ll call them to-do lists. More like time projections.”
“For me. Ah, yes. Me who got a perfect score on my math SATs, almost a perfect score on English and skipped two grades. Right. Please do talk down to me.” But she wasn’t irritated. This conversation was just her and Cory returning to their natural conversational balance.
